http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704107204574473724099542430.html

We thought cash for clunkers was the ultimate waste of taxpayer money, but as usual we were too optimistic. Thanks to the federal tax credit to buy high-mileage cars that was part of President Obama's stimulus plan, Uncle Sam is now paying Americans to buy that great necessity of modern life, the golf cart.

The federal credit provides from $4,200 to $5,500 for the purchase of an electric vehicle, and when it is combined with similar incentive plans in many states the tax credits can pay for nearly the entire cost of a golf cart. Even in states that don't have their own tax rebate plans, the federal credit is generous enough to pay for half or even two-thirds of the average sticker price of a cart, which is typically in the range of $8,000 to $10,000. "The purchase of some models could be absolutely free," Roger Gaddis of Ada Electric Cars in Oklahoma said earlier this year. "Is that about the coolest thing you've ever heard?"

Sweet. There's not even a limit on how many you can buy. Time to go buy a few dozen to resell when the economy turns around.

Seems like a good time to move to Peachtree City.

Alot of retirement communities in FLA. these are used fairly commonly within the communities. Is getting more seniors into golf carts and out of thier (usually gas guzzling) cars really all that bad a thing? or would you rather your tax money go to the unemployment checks at Ada or to keeping the people employed?

or would you rather your tax money go to the unemployment checks at Ada or to keeping the people employed?

Neither.

I wonder could that be used on something like this (http://www.atafa.com/sports/products/Xtreme-Xbi-Elite-Electric-Scooter-221714.html)?

I was thinking more along the lines of this. (http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/02/mission-motors/)

There's been tons of tax incentives for all sorts of things to shift people toward energy efficient things. Think I got an extra $1500 at tax time for getting new windows in my house, and a buddy just got $2500 for getting a new high seer AC/heat unit.

hey speaking of that higher AC/heat thing, does that work when I file my taxes or should I have done something as soon as I got my new one installed? I was unclear on that detail and just thought I'd wait till tax time but I got it done in June.

Well I would check with the people who installed your system, you probably need some sort of paperwork from them, but you get the $$ when you file your taxes (more like a $2500 off your income tax or something like that).

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

The company should give you the paperwork you need to file with your taxes, to ensure it meets the criteria ect.

Windows need a .30 shgc .30 u value or lower to quilify. U values most windows meet, SHGC can be tricky depending upon the manufactor at the time.

Ah HA! yes I have paperwork, thank you guys :)

We had some people from Germany visiting at work this past week, turns out Germany just had a cash for clunkers program too....so its not only Obama.

Germany is arguably the most advanced country in the world when it comes to conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy - in part due to tremendous government influence. I think they have the greatest percentage of solar power in the world, and even just last week a group of college students from Germany came to DC to spank the US yet again in the solar decathalon.

Some of their great success was lost in translation, but the Cash for Clunkers was certainly originally their idea.

We need a female president so we can call her Mutti too!

Germany can legitimately afford to do things we can't, because they run a larger trade surplus than even China. It's not a desperate economic stimulus for them, like it was for us.

There's also a big difference between giving incentive to a purchase and completely discounting it (as with many of these carts). As foolish as I thought Cash for Clunkers was, at least it did stimulate people to kick in more of their own money than our tax money.

Those are very good points Sanchek, I'd agree full or even half financing of these is excessive when a few hundred dollars would make much more sense given the costs.